Gastronomy Tourism: an Opportunity for Local Development in Catalonia? a Stakeholder Analysis

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Londoño, Maria Del Pilar Leal

Conference Paper Gastronomy tourism: an opportunity for local development in Catalonia? A stakeholder analysis

51st Congress of the European Regional Science Association: "New Challenges for European Regions and Urban Areas in a Globalised World", 30 August - 3 September 2011, Barcelona, Spain Provided in Cooperation with: European Regional Science Association (ERSA)

Suggested Citation: Londoño, Maria Del Pilar Leal (2011) : Gastronomy tourism: an opportunity for local development in Catalonia? A stakeholder analysis, 51st Congress of the European Regional Science Association: "New Challenges for European Regions and Urban Areas in a Globalised World", 30 August - 3 September 2011, Barcelona, Spain, European Regional Science Association (ERSA), Louvain-la-Neuve

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ABSTRACT The development of tourism and particularly public administration have had to adapt to new trends and the demands of the tourist market (Fayos-Solá, 2004) especially in Spain, thus generating some of the most remarkable and structural changes which constitute the emergence of new touristic dynamics (Lopez Palomeque and X. Font, 2010). The Catalan territory, which has participated in those dynamics where wine tourism becomes an alternative product of the diversification of touristic offerings, traditionally focused on sun- and-beach not only in this region but also in the whole of Spain.

To revitalize the turistic offer historically focused on sun and Beach tourism, the Catalan government , bet for the gastronomic tourism through the creation of the strategies as the Gastronomic Club in 2001 or the Gastroteca in 2006; which link different stakeholders not only publics but also privates (travel agencies, universities, private foundation, NGO, producers, etc) interested in gastronomy, responding to this phenomenon that is increasing around the world and specially in Catalonia thanks to important figures like one of the most well known chefs around the world which is Ferran Adrià.

Catalonia as a region is particularly varied, no only because it’s characteristics biogeographically but also for its touristic resources, generating in this territory the production of a set of “micro territories” which are constantly looking for authenticity and differentiation from highly competitive tourism brands such as the city of Barcelona.

This paper analyzes the advantages and disadvantages which arise this new touristic phenomenon in Catalonia and its relationship with the local development in different scales; through the perceptions and actions carried out for the stakeholders involved in this strategy.

To achieve this, was taken the reflexions and the relationships that keep between them, 12 personalities from the public and private sector and the academy. Were applied semi

1 structured interviews and them perceptions were systematized and analyzed using SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) methodology as the primary tool. This methodology, examines this phenomenon in Catalonia and its possibilities as a generator of local and regional development.

Key words: Gastronomic tourism, territory, diversifying tourism, local development, stakeholders, Catalonia.

INTRODUCTION

Donaire (1993, 179) claims that the most significant change undergone by contemporary tourism is the role it now plays in society as a whole. The author cites Alvin Toffler (1971:208) who, back in the seventies, predicted a “revolutionary expansion of certain industries whose sole output consists not of manufactured goods, nor even of ordinary services, but of pre-programmed ‘experiences’”. Today, gastronomy tourism is perhaps one of the best expressions of our post-industrial society, in which the use of our senses – sight, smell and taste – has become the activity generated by these "industries" (food producers, processors and restaurants), whose primary purpose is to give the visitor an “experience” via the sampling of food and drink. Seen in this light, Donaire (1993) argues that gastronomy runs counter to the uniformity of urban spaces, the imitation of distant geographies and the creation of aspatial scenarios and is an alternative to the McDonaldization process first defined by George Ritzer (1996), since gastronomy tourism is based on what is local, traditional and authentic in food and drink.

For Kivela (2006), gastronomy is often referred to exclusively as the art of cooking and good eating, but this is only part of the discipline. For other authors, gastronomy is the study of the relationship between culture and food. A person who works in gastronomy is often involved in the tasting, preparing, experimenting, researching, discovering, understanding and writing about food and typically, but not exclusively, about wine too. Gastronomy, as a fundamental part of culinary tourism, is today a growing sector within the overall tourism market. For many tourists, sampling food and drink is one of their main reasons for visiting new destinations. A country’s gastronomy is a manifestation of its culture; its local food markets are recognized as important elements of the cultural and tourist experience of a region, its local identity being strengthened thanks to the products it sells. The increase in information

2 available to tourists and consumers nowadays means there has been a growth in demand for local products, often associated at the same time with the trend towards a healthier lifestyle. This relationship between local food production and tourism is being increasingly recognized by the tourist sector, which has managed to involve the various parties that make up these systems.

In the case of Catalonia, its autonomous government, the Generalitat, has played a key role in recent years, manifested according to Lopez Palomeque and Font (2010): “on the one hand, by the intensification of the dissemination of tourism throughout the region, and on the other, by the participation of government bodies in this process, resulting in the institutionalization of tourism management”. Over the last eight years, local government has taken a greater role in the management of tourism throughout Catalonia (Lopez Palomeque, 2004), in which time the government has opted for the diversification of its tourism, seeking to relocate an activity that was traditionally focused on the “sun and beach” tourist sector.

This paper describes aspects (both positive and negative) of gastronomy tourism as identified in interviews with those involved in various activities associated with Catalan cuisine, including food producers, restaurateurs, and those agents (both public and private) who promote this phenomenon in the region. These reports are triangulated with data obtained from direct observation and documented information. The information collected was then evaluated by applying the SWOT methodology in order to identify facets of interest to those involved in regional management and local development so that they might exploit gastronomy as an engine for a diversification of tourism.

Here, we examine both conceptual questions and development issues in undertaking: a) an introduction to the global phenomenon, b) a study of gastronomy as a tourism resource and product in Catalonia, and c) an examination of the potential of gastronomy tourism as a strategy for local development in Catalonia.

OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY

This article examines the potential of exploiting gastronomy tourism as a strategy for local development in Catalonia. Various agents intervene in the production and marketing of gastronomy tourism as a local activity, forming the supply and distribution chain which

3 generates complex combinations of activities, ranging from production to the sale of products. A theoretical and empirical understanding of those who participate in Catalan gastronomy should enable us to define a contextual framework for food tourism as an economic activity and, at the same time, to determine both its current and future potential for this region.

The methodology employed in undertaking this study included an exhaustive review of the literature and related documentation examining the following three prime concepts and the interrelationship between them: tourism, gastronomy and local development. These elements represent the starting point for the identification and assessment of relevant information. To these elements was added a fourth: information concerning the study area, the geographical region of Catalonia.

Study area The study is conducted in Catalonia, which lies in the north-eastern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, extending from the Pyrenees to the Mediterranean Sea. Its territory covers an area of 31,932 km2, roughly half of which (15,902 km2) lie at altitudes higher than 600m a.s.l. and about 17% (5,288 km2) rise above 1000m a.s.l. These variations between sea level and the highest peaks in the Pyrenees (reaching 3000m a.s.l.) account for the marked climatic and biogeographic contrasts in the region (see, Lopez Palomeque . et al., 2002:)

Titel: The Catalan Region

Source: Leal, 2011

These biogeographic characteristics have also endowed Catalonia with considerable variety in its products and cuisine, which ranges from typical fish and seafood dishes to the food typical

4 of the Pyrenees and the highland areas. Traditional Catalan cooking know-how has, therefore, developed such dishes as fideuà (paella-type dish with noodles), breaded artichokes, cod brandade (emulsion of fish and olive oil), mushroom casserole, hervor de atún (a tuna stew), cuttlefish “a la bruta” (a rich stew), allipebre rabbit and langoustines, and xató (almond- based sauce), among many others.

Tourism is a key component of the economy of Catalonia. In 2010, according to the observatory of tourism in Catalonia, the region became the largest recipient of international tourists in the whole of Spain, accounting for 25% of the country’s total. This boom in tourism in Catalonia has given rise to a process that might be referred to as “touristification”, which since the nineties has been characterised by three specific elements: a) the intensification of the phenomenon of local leisure-tourism, generated above all by the Barcelona metropolis; b) tourism as a strategy for the socio-economic development of inland areas (especially rural areas); and c) the need to restructure traditional coastal areas and the “incorporation” of inland areas as one of the formulae or strategies for upgrading obsolete tourism products, resulting in the expansion of tourist activity from the coast to inland areas (Lopez Palomeque, F., 1997).

GASTRONOMY TOURISM: AN INTRODUCTION TO THE PHENOMENON

Gastronomy is everywhere in society today; you only have to enter the term in any internet search engine to see the myriad of potential uses attributed to the word. Yet, it is only since the 1950s that gastronomy began to adopt a broader nature, and along with it one that brought it closer to many different social groups. Today, gastronomy adopts many guises and is present in many different settings. Thus, we see that the concept has evolved to the point that it is now inextricably linked with “culture”, since according to Scarpato (2002) and her analysis of the evolution of the term gastronomy, it cannot be separated from cultural practices, and as such we can speak of “food culture”.

One of the relations established today with food is that which has been forged with tourism, now a widespread phenomenon practiced throughout contemporary society. In recent history, tourism has acquired undeniable importance establishing itself across all areas of society (Lopez Palomeque, 1997). In the last decade, reflecting changes in the habits and behaviours of demand, society has opted for the diversification of tourism, seasonal adjustment,

5 innovation, sustainability and a change in the traditional models of tourism such as those typified by “sun and beach” holidays. These new elements have created new horizons focused, in the main, on generating experiences for tourists.

Today, there exists a large body of literature dedicated to tourism and its various “dimensions”; however, the relationship that has been established between tourism and gastronomy as a new tourist phenomenon, and all aspects related to this and the territory in which it is developed, have not been widely studied. This is perhaps because it was not until the year 2000 and the conference entitled "Local food and International Tourism", organised by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Cyprus, that the importance of gastronomy for tourism was recognised.

The relationship, moreover, between a tourism product and a destination is symbiotic, since the destination provides the food, recipes, chefs, and the cultural backdrop that make its gastronomy an ideal product for tourist consumption (Richards, 2002). Gastronomy is the point of convergence of food production and processing, storage, transport, cooking and preparation. A meal involves choices, customers, manners, traditions and political-economic context, and many physiological motivations. Gastronomy tourism is currently emerging as one of the most promising segments in the tourism sector (Antonioli Corigliano, 2002).

A fuller understanding of gastronomy tourism, and within this sector the role played by the participation and networking of stakeholders, should contribute to a more effective implementation of local development strategies in regions or communities that exploit food products as a means of enhancing their socio-economic status, since “tourism creates, transforms and even differentially enhances spaces that might not otherwise have a value in the context of the logic of production” (Hiernaux, 1996).

Finally, an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of gastronomy tourism, together with an examination of the interests of the stakeholders involved, should contribute to our understanding of its actual effects on the development of a given area as well as to our understanding of gastronomy as a tourism resource and product.

GASTRONOMY AS A TOURISM RESOURCE AND PRODUCT

Gastronomy, as argued by various authors (see, for example, Hjalager and Richards, 2000), can be a tourism product or, on occasions, a tourism resource. Its conversion into a product is the result of the transformation or revalorisation of the resource, which is very much in line with the definition formulated by Anton et al. (2005), where the tourism product “comprises a set of elements that make up the tourist offer of a destination. These are the tourism resources that are exploited and which are adapted to the functions and tourist uses through their presentation and marketing”. Below I provide a brief description of how gastronomy can be understood as both a tourism resource and product.

Gastronomy as a tourism resource

Gastronomy in combination with tourism has become a tourism resource for the creation of new products and for the reinvention of those that have run their course, and which, as such, often appear in the final stage of Butler’s (1980) “tourism area life cycle” (cited by McKercher, 2005). Butler considers destinations as amalgams of products that are geographically clustered and which include tourism products and services, and both these products and destinations need to be continually refreshed and revitalized (Cooper & Hall, 2008).

In contrast with other tourism activities and attractions, food is available all year round, any day of the week, at any time of the day, regardless of the weather. A region’s gastronomy can become the “motor” that serves to reactivate a tourist destination that has suffered a decline in its life cycle as a tourism product. The combination food and tourism is increasingly occurring in formats such as agri-tourism, wine tours, the sale of food products as souvenirs, among others (Hjalager & Corigliano, 2000).

In Smith and Xiao’s (2008) typology, three types of culinary tourism resource are identified:

1. Facilities: refers to buildings/structures and land uses associated with food production or preparation, as well as distribution, ranging from pick-your-own operations to food processing operations to restaurants. Activities include educational opportunities such as attending cooking schools, participating in informal tastings, and reading books and magazines devoted to food.

2. Events: includes consumer shows presenting food products and cooking equipment. Food and wine festivals are one of the main attractions for gastronomy tourists and typically one of the most visible aspects of gastronomy tourism.

3. Organizations: includes all those dedicated to serving the interests of gastronomy tourists or supporting the development of the gastronomy tourism market, including organizations such as Slow Food, cooking clubs, professional associations, among others.

In the context of Spain’s tourism, gastronomy is clearly an emerging product of some importance as shown by its development in recent years. On this subject, Armesto and Gomez (2004) describe the “the appearance of tourism products based mainly on culinary resources and a steady increase in the number of establishments serving food (restaurants, bars, etc.)”. This increase, as the authors note, is based on the wealth of gastronomic resources thanks to the country’s geographical and cultural diversity, which ensures a broad range of food types and recipes.

In the case of Catalonia, the Generalitat has sought to promote tourist products based on its local and traditional food resources through the work of a number of government departments that include the Catalan Tourist Board and the Consortium of Trade, Handicrafts and Fashion of Catalonia. In addition, these government initiatives have generated a series of actions and strategies related to food, such as the Gastronomic Club, the Gastroteca and a number of other strategies that are discussed in more detail below.

Gastronomy as a tourism product

The concept of the tourism product is derived from marketing and corresponds to “the set of goods and services that are used for tourist consumption by selected groups of consumers” (Sancho et al., 1998). This in turn includes both tangible and intangible products (goods and services), as well as being based on the interaction of the service provider and the consumer. A marketing approach addresses all market agents and the way in which they are in constant interaction, thereby integrating, in line with Sancho et al. (1998), tangible and intangible goods and services.

The products of gastronomy tourism are then delivered to consumers through various distribution channels, such as markets, festivals and restaurants (Smith & Xiao, 2008). According to Hjalaguer & Richards (2002) this corresponds to her four-order typology of activities that add value to gastronomy tourism and which, as such, in many cases create tourism products. First-order activities focus on sites where visitors can enjoy food, such as festivals and campaigns, among others. Second-order activities aim at promoting the visitor’s better understanding of food by, for example, creating and promoting quality labels and product standardization in a region. Third-order activities refer to experimentation through packages and cooking schools, while the fourth involve exchanging knowledge about nutrition through research projects.

According to Ravenscroft and Van Westering (2001), Spain has once again successfully reinvented itself by creating a brand as a tourist destination where sun, sea and sand are equal partners to paella, gazpacho and Rioja. The global impact of its food has been surprisingly high. Spanish food products are also exported to many other countries where they enjoy notable success. Note the growing number of popular tapas restaurants to be found in many European cities. The authors comment that local production is the basis of regional Spanish cuisine, which highlights regional gastronomic identity, pride and tradition that can be found on the menu of most restaurants in an area.

To this we can add the large number of food festivals held in Catalonia. These include the festivals of romesco sauce in Cambrils, of calçots (a variety of mild, spring onion) in Valls, and of snails in Lleida. It is the authors belief that romesco sauce forms part of Catalan identity and that events of this kind today are tourist products generating gastronomy tourism, where perhaps the main reason for visiting Valls in Tarragona is the opportunity it affords of sampling the calçots at a calçotada.

New products such as these are important for the diversification of destinations, as they increase sales and exploit a competitive advantage. Cooper and Hall (2008) present the idea of the product as an experience, in which providers and destinations respond to the challenge of creating products based on experiences. Such experiences are personal, memorable and evoke an emotional response, whereby the tourist enters into a multi-faceted relationship with both the actors and the destination that provides the experience.

LOCAL DEVELOPMENT: GASTRONOMY TOURISM STRATEGIES

Many rural development programs frequently include among their actions the promotion of typical or traditional products, usually referred to as “local products” (Caldentey, 2004). Clearly, the promotion of such products can serve as part of a wider programme for spurring regional development. Indeed, the existence of a growing market sector that demands products of these characteristics makes the promotion of local products, as part of gastronomy tourism, particular interesting.

We can assume that these “local products” come from small or medium-scale farmers and producers, which means their promotion needs to be conducted collectively with the support of institutions involved in local development (Caldentey, 2001). According to Espeteix (2007), state and even supra-state authorities see the exploitation of local food products as a means of mitigating rising levels of depopulation in “marginal” territories, promoting a better balance between regions in a framework of “sustainable development”, providing support for the primary sector and stimulating exports through strategies such as quality certification. In a similar vein of thought, the authorities expect local products and dishes to maintain and even create jobs, revitalize areas and “fix” the population.

Gastronomic tourism is ultimately a means to achieving local development and serves as a basic tool for the promotion and distribution of local agro food products. Furthermore, it has been suggested that gastronomy tourism can play a key role in strengthening a region’s identity, sustaining cultural heritage, staving off fears of global food homogenisation (Everett, S. & Aitchison, C., 2008). For authors such as Sims (2010) promoting local food and drink is also a mechanism to promote sustainable tourism. She describes three levels at which food can be important: first, increasing the tourist consumption of local foods can generate a multiplier effect that is beneficial to the local economy; second, concerns about the environmental impact of transporting food across the globe has led to the argument that “buying local” is vital if the tourist industry wishes to reduce its carbon footprint; and, third, there is a growing recognition that tourism destinations are competing with each other in a bid to attract visitors.

STRATEGIES IN CATALONIA

In the case of Catalonia, in 2003, the administration led by the Generalitat’s Catalan Tourist Board created the Gastronomic Club as the first step in its strategy to help market and, thereby, boost gastronomy tourism “in close cooperation with all companies, organisations and bodies engaged in this sector of the tourist industry”. The club allows companies to participate in various strategies designed to promote Catalonia as a tourist product. Each entity pays an annual fee (350 euros) entitling it to enjoy all membership privileges. The club comprises culinary associations, locally- or district-based accommodation and restaurant services, producers and service companies linked to culinary tourism.

Club members are grouped in three categories: A – Service Providers, B – Tourist Promotion Companies, and C – Partners. Group A comprises 24 tourist service groups, 15 cuisine collectives, 14 hotel groups and 7 intermediary services. Section B is made up of 27 entities comprising municipalities, provincial tourist boards and tourist promotion groups. And, finally, Group C comprises, at present, four entities dedicated primarily to research in the field of tourism and given this focus they do not have to pay a membership fee. The Catalan Tourist Board offers its members the following main services: receipt of the Club’s advertising and marketing material, a professional advisory service, participation in the Club’s forum for tourist professionals and use of its tourist promotion centres abroad.

The second step in the administration’s strategy to promote gastronomy tourism throughout the region was the founding in 2007 of the Gastroteca by the Directorate General for Trade of the Generalitat of Catalonia. This comprises a website providing promotional and marketing support for local food products. This interactive channel of communication is open to producers, distributors and establishments working in the catering industry as well as to consumers and stakeholders with an interest in gastronomy tourism.

Both strategies, the Gastronomic Club and the Gastroteca, have designed tourist routes for those consumers interested in tasting the local products that make up Catalan cuisine. Today there are 16 gastronomy routes designed by the Catalan Tourism Board, which serve to introduce the visitor to the rich offer of Catalonia’s cuisine and gastronomy. Similarly, the Gastroteca has designed a further eleven slightly more specialised food and wine routes. These include the addresses of establishments where the visitor can sample, purchase and enjoy the food and wine of the various provinces and districts of Catalonia.

STAKEHOLDERS AND THEIR PERCEPTIONS

As discussed above, the primary data were drawn from twelve, semi-structured interviews (see Table 1), with various individuals involved in this sector either as promoters or as agents of production and marketing of Catalan gastronomy at different scales.

Table 1 List of Individuals Interviewed Name Institution Date of Interview Rocío Baez (Gastronomy Club Manager- 09/07/2010 Tourism Catalan Agency– Generalitat de Cataluña) Ramón Sentmartí (Gastroteca Manager) 30/09/2010 Pepa Aymami (Catalan Cuisine Institute 05/10/2010 Foundation Manager) Cecilia Lorenzo (Magazine “Viatges.cat- 19/10/2010 Manager”) Manuel Colmenero (Travel Agency - Ocio Vital) 20/10/2010 Xavier Medina (Professor- Universitat Oberta 21/10/2010 de Catalunya) Jesús Contreras (Professor- University of 19/11/2010 Barcelona) Damià Serrano Regional Administration of 02/02/2011 Barcelona Province- Diputación de Barcelona Marina Duñach Gallecs Park (private farming 10/02/2011 organization) Josep Pamies Pamies Horticolas (Farmer) 17/02/2011 Jordi Tresserras Professor – University of 15/02/2011 Barcelona Guillem Miralles Regional Administration of 12/03/2011 Barcelona Province- Diputación de Barcelona Source: Leal, 2011 The information obtained from these interviews was then organised into a SWOT matrix so as to analyse the sector’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats based on the responses recorded to the following specific questions:

1. How can gastronomy tourism help contribute to regional development? 2. What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of culinary tourism in Catalonia?

In reply to the first question, all the respondents were unanimous in declaring that gastronomy tourism could serve to promote local development. In specifying how they believed it could act, some respondents mentioned not only the potential impact of the activity on aggregate demand, i.e., on trade and the catering industry, but also the effect the product could have as a promoter of the region. The promotion of local products in specialty stores, sold as souvenirs

12 and the like, is seen as a means of promoting and developing the region. Some of the actual answers are recorded below to illustrate these beliefs:

“As I see it, if people are looking for it (local gastronomy) and you manage to persuade them to visit a particular place, and all that that means in terms of accommodation, then there is the immediate impact in terms of all the expenses they incur in staying there. But it also has a subsequent impact on trade by increasing demand. So it has a dual component”. (Ramón Sanmartí – Gastroteca)

“What gastronomy tourism does is to promote the local region, where promote means the creation of wealth, not only thanks to the tourism but also thanks to the expansion of knowledge”. (Marina Duñach (Producer) – Gallecs Agricultural Park)

“Yes, directly from the profit made from increased sales and indirectly by helping to position the destination. A good example are the calçots of Valls, where there has been an increase in hotel accommodation, restaurants and sales to tourists, which mobilizes other elements in the territory”. (Damia Serrano – Provincial Council of Barcelona).

“It can help generate a lot of development, simply because gastronomy tourism is committed to exploiting the product, production, the local labour force, local catering, all of which means that the product mobilises the territory”. (Xavier Medina – Universitat Oberta de Catalunya).

Table 2 below records the responses to Question 2 made by each of the respondents (“Please mention one weakness, threat, strength and opportunity of food tourism in Catalonia).

Table 2 weakness, threat, strength and opportunity of food tourism in Catalonia

WEAKNESSES THREATS STRENGTHS OPPORTUNITIES Little appreciation of local The global economy is a threat to The existence of a good product The promotion of actions that products on the part of the small-scale producer . and increasing demand. (Ramón unite forces throughout the restaurateurs and producers. (Ramón Santmartí-Gastroteca) Santmartí-Gastroteca) region. (Ramón Santmartí- Little work being undertaken in Gastroteca) the marketing of food products and in the development of marketing strategies. (Ramón Santmartí-Gastroteca) Information and communication Other destinations that can offer We know how to sell our The use of ICTs is especially technologies (ICTs) are not used better options, such as Tuscany. products, the media and press important these days. nearly enough, although it is The equivalent services in play their part, our products are (Pepa Aymami- Catalan Cuisine increasingly common for Catalonia are not as competitive, good as is the case of the Institute Foundation Manager) restaurateurs to have websites or and their price does not help “volcanic” cuisine of la Garrotxa. at least an email address. (Pepa either. (Pepa Aymami- Catalan (Pepa Aymami- Catalan Cuisine Aymami- Catalan Cuisine Cuisine Institute Foundation Institute Foundation Manager) Institute Foundation Manager) Manager) The invasion and occupation of The disappearance of a particular The increasing demand for Gastronomy tourism can help the territory - we need to know product. A constant threat is the products of this kind. (Marina promote many areas of Catalonia. how to control this, because growing uniformity of what we Dunyac-Gallecs Gallecs Park I think it can help promote

14 tourism is often synonymous eat. private farming organization) impoverished areas, particularly with invasion. Here we have the (Marina Dunyac-Gallecs Gallecs those products that have not left example of the Costa Brava, a Park private farming the area and have remained tied part of our region destroyed by organization) to a territory. I think that at the tourism. I think the government European level it can enhance a needs to control this. (Marina country such as Catalonia, the Dunyac-Gallecs Gallecs Park obvious example is Ferran Adrià private farming organization) who has promoted Catalonia through his cuisine. (Marina Dunyac-Gallecs Gallecs Park private farming organization) In the relationship between the Competition from other regions, Catalonia is unique in terms of its The danger I see is that in the territory and the promotion of such as the Basque country, distinct territories and quality rush to promote local, traditional Catalan tourism in general, there which has similar products and products. (Cecilia Lorenzo- products, we might end up is a need for more which enjoys the promotion of Magazine “Viatges.cat”- promoting poor quality products. communication. Catalan tourism high profile chefs. Manager) We must proceed in a should be promoted more within (Cecilia Lorenzo-Magazine sustainable fashion. (Cecilia Spain. “Viatges.cat”- Manager) Lorenzo-Magazine (Cecilia Lorenzo-Magazine “Viatges.cat”- Manager) “Viatges.cat”- Manager) The weak connection between The trivialization of products, The great reception given to the To generate development, there local people and local products. whereby they end up by country’s gastronomy. The is plenty of wealth that can be Local people do not consume becoming poor quality products cuisine of Ferran Adrià, creative transformed into tourist

15 them nor do they appreciate what as a result of competition and cuisine, has opened the door. The development. (Damia Serrano- they have. Then, there is the excess offer. (Damia Serrano- role played by Ferran Adrià, as Regional Administration of urban-rural divide, here we do Regional Administration of an ambassador, is very important. Barcelona Province) not value rural products. A Barcelona Province) (Damia Serrano- Regional frontier has been set up between Administration of Barcelona urban development and that of Province) the countryside in a disparaging way. (Damia Serrano- Regional Administration of Barcelona Province) It is difficult to express because It’s a dangerous type of tourism; We have the landscapes, the It is a current trend in tourism, it tourism is currently undergoing a it’s all too easy to fall into the culture, we have the ingredients is a great opportunity. (Manuel low cost trend – it’s not easy to trap of the trivialization of needed to position ourselves Colmenero explain that a one-day activity gastronomy tourism. We are strongly in the market, we have a (Manuel Colmenero- Travel involving a visit to a couple of poorly positioned, today people great location, we have good Agency - Ocio Vital) wine cellars and a restaurant can find what they want more easily products, and little explored cost 65 euros when for that price in Italy, in Tuscany. We are a territories (Manuel Colmenero- you can fly to London and back long way behind, we’ll have to Travel Agency - Ocio Vital) ... it's not easy. (Manuel work very hard if we want Colmenero- Travel Agency - consumers to visit us and know Ocio Vital) our products. (Manuel Colmenero- Travel Agency - Ocio Vital)

There is very little integration of That excessive growth or an There is an enormous base on Gastronomy tourism can serve as the public and private sectors. excessive desire for profit might which to build, a base of an element for development, if The private sector is yet to be undermine the quality of our products, as well as of heritage we can ensure that it becomes convinced that food and wine product. (Xavier Medina- and interest. (Xavier Medina- integrated, then the territory can tourism are opportunities and Professor- Universitat Oberta de Professor- Universitat Oberta de serve to promote the product. often the public sector seeks to Catalunya) Catalunya) Only a small part has been promote initiatives that have little exploited to date, what the people success. There is little integration know, and so there is huge and dialogue between the two margin for growth. (Xavier parties. One of the weaknesses is Medina-Professor- Universitat that the private sector has to pull Oberta de Catalunya) the public sector along. (Xavier Medina-Professor- Universitat Oberta de Catalunya) Excessive dependence on what is Not only does it enjoy the Food today has the value of We must recognize that a current fashion; excessive sense advantages of being in fashion, folklore and tradition; cuisine has Catalonia, on the one hand, and of self-complacency (Jesús but also the risks. The advantages the value of being modern. (Jesús gastronomy, on the other, are in Contreras- Professor- University are that it generates considerable Contreras- Professor- University vogue. These factors encourage of Barcelona) demand in the short term but its of Barcelona) people to travel. (Jesús duration can be limited. (Jesús Contreras- Professor- University Contreras- Professor- University of Barcelona) of Barcelona) The lack of knowledge as to what Creating “white” brands as part I think we have a well-prepared Its diversity. Catalonia has great

Catalan food actually comprises. of the Mediterranean diet. (Jordi sector - chefs, producers, biodiversity not only in terms of (Jordi Tresserras- Professor – Tresserras- Professor – specialized tourist attraction. products but also of culture, University of Barcelona) University of Barcelona) (Jordi Tresserras- Professor – which means we have a very rich University of Barcelona) cuisine in a very small territory. (Jordi Tresserras- Professor – University of Barcelona) The lack of structure for the Competition at home and abroad That a Government strategy is in Consolidate Catalonia as a region’s products as a whole. from the Basque Country, La place. (Rocío Báez- Gastronomy quality destination, as a point of (Rocío Báez- Gastronomy Club Rioja, Andalusia and from Italy Club Manager- Tourism Catalan reference abroad. (Rocío Báez- Manager- Tourism Catalan and France (Rocío Baez- Agency–Generalitat de Cataluña Gastronomy Club Manager- Agency–Generalitat de Gastronomy Club Manager- Tourism Catalan Agency– Cataluña). Tourism Catalan Agency– Generalitat de Cataluña Generalitat de Cataluña The tourist is above all local and The dynamics of globalization The quantity and variety of I believe it to be an emerging the challenge is to open up the poses a threat to local products. quality products available, but sector as increasingly the market to the rest of Spain. Twenty years ago access could what is missing is the consumer is better informed. (Guillermo Miralles- Regional only be gained to these products, corresponding appreciation, There has been a change in the Administration of Barcelona but today the offer is so vast that providing them with added value consumer profile. (Guillermo Province) it is not easy to compete. and getting them to the Miralles- Regional (Guillermo Miralles- Regional consumer. (Guillermo Miralles- Administration of Barcelona Administration of Barcelona Regional Administration of Province) Province) Barcelona Province) Overproduction leads to a loss in That it be seen as a large-scale Can breathe life into countless Create jobs and give employment

18 quality. (Josep Pamies- Pamies business, leading to the farms and rural areas, to young people in the sector. Horticolas Farmer) desertification of certain areas, reactivating the territory. (Josep But agrarian laws need to be the transformation of agrarian Pamies- Pamies Horticolas made more flexible so that more landscapes, and the loss of Farmer) people can participate. (Josep product diversity with a Pamies- Pamies Horticolas particularly negative impact on Farmer) small farmers. (Josep Pamies- Pamies Horticolas Farmer) Source: Leal, 2011

An analysis of the above answers reveals a number of recurrent aspects in the responses of these stakeholders. Significantly, one of these is the lack of coordination identified between the public and private sectors, which hinders the introduction of initiatives and any attempts at strengthening those already introduced. In relation to the strategies adopted by the Government, most notably those involving the Gastroteca and the Gastronomic Club, the stakeholders are unanimous in expressing a need for greater coordination between the two, and the need for greater structure in the content of the product, especially as regards their gastronomy routes.

The interviews also revealed the existence of highly endemic relationships between agents according to the sector in which they work. Thus, the public bodies maintain very strong, close relationships. This is the case, for example, in the links between the Generalitat and the Diputación (Provincial Councils), and in those between the latter and the consortia that promote tourism. However, the private sector is often sidelined in these relationships, choosing to work more closely with tourist organizations and associations and the universities. Moreover, cases were found in which one institution was unaware of the work being carried out by another, which meant efforts were being duplicated.

The universities, however, are an example of an agent that interact and collaborate with other agents at all levels. Given that they also work with both the public and private sectors, they play an important role in establishing a bridge of communication between the two.

A further common denominator identified from the interviews are the local development opportunities provided by gastronomy tourism in Catalonia for those areas with few possibilities of attracting other types of tourism. Likewise, opportunities exist to continue promoting this sector, thanks above all to the region’s good agro food products and the great impact in the media of Catalan chefs such as Ferran Adrià and Carme Ruscalleda, who, according to the stakeholders, ensure Catalonia is competitive at a range of scales. However, they also refer to the dangers of the potential trivialization of the product in the rush to position it in the market, while managing merely to create a tourism product of insufficient content.

FINAL REMARKS

As discussed by various scholars, the relationship between tourism and gastronomy appears unequivocal. Yet, even more evident are the possibilities afforded by this type of tourism as a motor for local development, based on local agro food products and the links in the chain that make up this activity. Thus, the marketing of these products represents an opportunity to promote the traditions, culture, heritage and identity of a region to a wider audience.

The origins of gastronomy tourism can perhaps be traced to the multi-functionality enjoyed by rural areas and which can be explained by turning to the thoughts of geographers such as Callizo Soneiro (1989), who wrote in relation to the thesis presented by Chadefaud in 1987, of the existence of new needs created by the social demand nourished by the “recurrent passion for nature and the countryside” attributable to a variety of reasons, among which is “the conversion of the natural environment itself in a functional space for the practice of new forms of leisure” (Callizo Soneiro, 1989:40). And it is to these new forms of leisure which stakeholders must have recourse in their market positioning strategy and in their evaluation of the role that gastronomy tourism can play in promoting local agro food products, in particular, and a given territory, in general.

According to the interviews conducted here with the various agents that participate in one way or another in Catalonia’s gastronomy tourism, and based on the subsequent analysis of these findings as well as direct observation, this type of tourism is certainly an expanding phenomenon and one which requires the coordinated efforts of all those involved in it. Among its strengths are the fact that it serves to stimulate a region’s economy, it provides opportunities to create and organize tourism products and to reinvent and lengthen the lifecycle of tourism products traditionally dedicated to sun and beach tourism. By contrast, among the aspects that need to be improved, or which need to be given more careful consideration today, are the potential risks of product trivialization. The danger is that gastronomy tourism, suffering the effects of the media and adopting products with insufficient content, can ultimately fail to consolidate and position itself in the market.

This present study highlights the need for future research that can further our understanding of the demand for gastronomy tourism in Catalonia. Such work needs to examine in greater depth the region-demand relationship in order to shed greater light on the social, economic and cultural effects of the marketing of local food products via gastronomy tourism.

However, and by way of a conclusion based on the interviews and information gathered here, not only is gastronomy tourism a growing phenomenon in Catalonia, but it is also one that shows a clear commitment to the promotion and marketing of local, handmade, ecological products with protected geographical status (denominación de origen in Spain). Yet, above all it is a phenomenon that champions the region, offering possibilities for local development and the establishment of synergies with the tourist sector in general.

Acknowledgments: This paper is part of the CSO2008-03315/GEOG research project, entitled “New tourism, regional competitiveness and sustainable development: analysis and assessment of the intensification and spatial extent of tourism in inland Catalonia”, funded by the Ministry of Education and Science, under the Consolidated Research Group ANTERRIT Generalitat of Catalonia, Barcelona University led by Dr. Francisco Lopez Palomeque (UB, Spain).

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WEBSITES CONSULTED

Official Website of Catalonia Tourism Official Website of Gastroteca Official Website of catalan observatory tourism